No Smoking!
by Hana Okita
Summary: When Dell declines to stop smoking after Haku advised him to, she gets angry with him and ignores the boy. Until one day, the teacher arranges the two to be partners in the school's field trip. HakuDell, for Children of Light. Rating will rise eventually.
1. Chapter 1

**-No smoking!-**

**So this is a request from Children of Light. You guys can be free to request something, too. Don't be shy. Oh, and since the characters are still in school and are all underaged for drinking, I made Haku's character item root beer.**

Haku cringed her nose at the smell of cigarettes. She marched towards the smell and as she expected, Dell was leaning his body on the railing of the balcony, a cigarette poking out from his lips.

"Dell, don't smoke. You'll get lung cancer and it stinks. And people get infected, Dell. You know second-hand smokers?" Haku chided. "I won't like it if _I_ got lung cancer."

Dell shrugged. "Then go away."

Haku's face flushed red from anger. "Dell, that's _really _selfish thinking! The smell passes through the whole household, and we all can get infected, just because of," Haku poked Dell hard in the chest with her finger. "You!"

Dell frowned at the girl. "Fine," He said, taking a last suck (Err what?) of the cigarette and throwing it into an ashtray nearby. "You're awfully noisy, Haku. I have a good mind to request for a door to separate the balcony and the room beyond." Dell frowned, leaning his back on the railing.

Haku sniffed, like she was going to cry. "I don't care about you! I'm just worried that the others might get lung cancer!" Haku wiped off a tear that was leaking from one of her eyes. "Don't be so selfish, Dell! Think of others, too!" With that, she stormed out from the balcony. Dell looked after her guiltily. _What have I done? _Shaking his head, he exited the balcony, going the opposite way.

* * *

Haku stared at her root beer sadly. Neru noticed it and looked up from her phone, to Haku.

"What's wrong, Haku? You seem ... sad."

"It's nothing," Haku said sadly. "Go on. Continue playing with your phone. Whatever."

"If you say so ..." Neru looked at Haku doubtfully, shrugged it away, and continued typing whatever she was typing.

Haku sighed. Did Dell have to be so harsh at her? Does Dell hate her? She likes Dell ... as a friend, he can be really friendly and funny if he wants to. Although, he often goes to somewhere rather deserted to smoke, while the others stayed in the living room for video games, card games, board games, and the sort. Haku went up to the balcony while coming back from the toilet. The smell was too strong Haku _had _to advice her silver-haired friend.

_You're awfully noisy, Haku. _Dell's words rang in Haku's head like some kind of mantra. She clasped her hands over her ear and shut her eyes tightly, trying to block out Dell's voice.

"Haku, are you sick? What's wrong?" Neru asked, concerned again.

"Oh, erm." Haku twirled a strand of her white hair nervously. "I'm fine! I just think that Rin and Len's argument is too loud." Haku said, tilting her head towards the bickering twins. Sure enough, they were shouting something at each other, with Luka trying to pull them apart.

"You're right; they're noisy _and _childish." Neru said, her nose wrinkled in distaste. "I'll go stop them if they're too noisy."

"It's okay, Neru!" Haku said, pulling the blonde down. "Even if they stop, the noises of others are still noisy! Every Friday night is like this, Neru! It's _really _okay!"

Neru frowned at Haku. "Something tells me that you're not bothered by _them_," She said, gesturing to the twins, who had proceeded to smack each other. Miku was pulling Rin back with much difficulty, and Kaito was carrying Len away, much to the boy's protests.

"Well ..." Haku stared at her reflection in the mug of root beer, "It's Dell." She admitted.

Neru raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"Well, I told him off about smoking just now," Haku said, sighing one of her famous, sad sighs, "And maybe I went to far; he was pissed off and said that I was _awfully noisy_."

Neru snorted. "He always gets angry when someone puts a stop to his smoking session." She assured her friend, who sighed in response. "I don't think you're noisy. You're quiet and sad all the time. I think Rin is more like the noisier one." Neru commented, tilting her head in the direction of the blonde, who was shouting in glee as she seemed to have won a game with Miku.

Haku forced a strained smile. "You're right," She said, "I think I should be going to bed." She set down her untouched root beer. "Good night, Neru. Help me finish my root beer, please."

Neru waved to her, good night, and took a sip from her friend's root beer, returning her attention to her yellow phone. Haku looked at Neru for a while, sighed again, and walked to her room. _Tomorrow is a Monday, __and we have school. I _do not _want to be late._

* * *

Haku yawned, stretching in her bed. She pulled open the curtains, and blinked away the dark spots that appeared when the bright light said hello to the white-haired girl. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and plodded to the toilet, where her school uniform rested on a chair, folded neatly into a pile.

After Haku showered, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and did all of the other necessary preparations including twisting her hair into her usual low ponytail, Haku walked down the stairs and straightened her back, feeling her bones click momentarily in her. Neru emerged from her room, her hair in its side ponytail, and holding her phone. She noticed Haku.

"Hi, Haku. Feeling better today?"

"Good morning, Neru. Yeah, much better."

The two friends smiled fondly at each other and walked down the stairs together.

"I wonder what's for breakfast?" Haku said, tapping her chin lightly with a finger. "I hope they've got root beer."

Neru shrugged in response. "I don't know. We'll find out if we go down." Soon enough, the two reached the dining table, where many dressed in uniforms or suits or pyjamas sat. Neru sat down on a chair while Haku walked into the kitchen, finding root beer.

"Hi, Haku." Luka, who was cooking an egg, greeted.

"Good morning." Haku said, yawning. "Can I have eggs too?"

"Sure," Luka said, grabbing another egg from its carton. "Anything."

"Thanks, Luka. I'll get the toast for you." Haku said, smiling sleepily. She opened the fridge, poking her head into it in oder to find her beloved root beer. "Drinks?"

"Ah, orange juice would do." Luka said, placing the finished omelet on a plate nearby. "Which kind of egg you want me to cook?"

"Anything!" Haku called, grabbing her root beer and the orange juice.

"Sunny Side-Up is fine by you?"

"Yeah." Haku responded. She grabbed two cups and started pouring the drinks into them.

After a while, a plate of eggs was shoved into her face. "There." Luka said, casting Haku a fond smile and looked at the cup of orange juice. "That's mine?"

"Yeah," Haku said, grabbing a set of cutlery. "I didn't put ice, in case the ice melted." Haku tilted her head towards two plates of freshly toasted bread. "There's your bread."

"Oh, okay." Luka said, grabbing a fistful of ice and placing them into her drink.

"Hi," Dell greeted from the doorway. Haku froze, but Luka didn't seem to notice.

"Hi, Dell. Want me to help you cook anything?" Luka offered.

"No thanks, Luka. I think I would like to toast some bread and get going." Dell said, politely declining Luka's offer.

"Good morning." Haku said stiffly. Dell looked at her and froze. Luka, whose back was turned while all this happened, didn't notice again.

"Hi."

"The bread is over there." Haku said, pointing to a bag of bread.

"Oh, thanks." Dell mumbled, making his way to the counter.

"I'll be going out, then, Luka. Take your time in there!" Haku said, pilling her bread on top of her egg, grabbing her root beer and walking out.

Haku walked over to Neru's side and sat down. "Neru, you don't want to eat?"

Neru looked up from her phone, to Haku. "Oh," She said, realising. "I'll go get toast."

"You can take mine," Haku offered.

"Keep it." Neru said, setting down her phone. "I'll go get drinks whist I'm at it."

Haku chewed her egg. Does Dell even feel sorry, for making her sad? If he doesn't, why did he look so stiff just now? Is it because of ... her? Haku finished up her egg. _I have a good mind to ignore Dell, he keeps crossing my mind_. She thought to herself. Yeah, ignoring Dell sounded pretty good, even to Haku's ears. Happy with her decision, she picked up a piece of bread and her knife, making a grab for the butter.

"I'm back," Neru said, holding a plate piled with bread and a glass of milk in the other hand.

Haku shifted a bit, letting Neru sit. "I'm going to ignore Dell." She declared softly. "He keeps crossing my mind, it's annoying."

Neru lifted an eyebrow, spreading strawberry jam on her toast. "I think if you ignore him, he'll just cross your mind _more_."

Haku shrugged, buttering her toast. "I don't see why not. It's the best choice available, is it not?"

Neru pulled her chair she was siting on closer to the table with her legs. "Well ... you could get him to apologise." She said, tentatively.

"How?" Haku asked, between bites of her toast.

"I don't know," Neru admitted. "I think he would say sorry to you, sooner or later. He seemed pretty stiff when I mentioned you in the kitchen."

Haku froze as she spread jam on her next piece of toast. "Yeah, I know." Haku said, placing her knife on her plate. "I don't know why."

"I think he's sorry."

"You think so?" Haku raised her eyebrows. "I don't think Dell is the type to be sorry."

Neru shrugged. "Just a thinking. Possibility."

Haku nodded and the two finished their breakfast in silence, Haku occasionally engaging in small talks with the others and Neru looking up from her phone a few times to greet people. They were finishing washing their hands until Kiyoteru called.

"Okay, boys and girls who still go to school!" She said, clapping her hands. "The school bus is arriving - please prepare." Sounds of chairs scraping against the floor was heard. Haku and Neru turned off the taps to go upstairs and take their bags.

"I hate school." Neru whined. "It cuts off my time of using my phone."

"Too much staring at phones is not good, Neru." Haku scolded. "We should talk, more often. After school, let's go to a café. Your status update can wait, Neru." Haku added sternly, seeing Neru cast longing looks at her phone.

"Okay," She admitted defeat. "Talking to friends once in a while isn't too bad, after all."

Haku grinned, a rare smile she would wear. Usually her smiles were gentle, kind, weary, strained or sleepy. A grin or a Cheshire Cat like toothy grin is rare for the white haired girl. Neru looked a little surprised at the grin, but returned it anyway.

* * *

The next two weeks went on normally, unless you counted Rin and Len getting into detention for not paying attention to the class as they were quarrelling, Dell being caught for smoking, Neru getting a lecture from the teacher for using her phone in the class, Miku spilling her drink all over Haku and so on. Haku had followed her plan on ignoring Dell, who didn't care at the least, and kept burying his head in homework, assignments, or studying.

One day, when class was about to end, the teacher cleared her throat, stopping the class from their activities. Neru and Haku looked up from their conversation about the newest phones, putting their attention on the teacher.

"Class!" The teacher, Miss Jane, said cheerily as she spread her arms. "We're going to have a field trip, and this time, we have partners!" Miss Jane chuckled as best friends looked at one another hopefully, including Neru and Haku. "But!" Miss Jane shouted again, and the class fell silent. "This time, a boy and a girl would be partners, not a girl and a girl! So, I'll announce your partners! Please pay attention!"

Haku listened intently as the teacher announced the partners, looking at girls and boys blush as their friends teased them. Neru suddenly elbowed Haku, and she snapped out from her daydream.

"Haku ... you're with Dell."


	2. Chapter 2

_Does she hate me?_

When Haku passes by him with nothing but a narrowed sideways glance, Dell was even surer that she hated him now.

But, why does she hate him?

_Well, you said she was annoying, duh. Of course she'll feel sad, the over-emotional girl. _His inner voice said, annoyed.

Is his inner voice mad? How would saying someone was annoying make the 'someone' hate him? _You're mad,_ he mumbled to his … err … inner voice whatever.

_You're the one who's mad, Mr. Dell. You're talking to yourself!_

Oh, right. Dell blinked. He WAS talking to himself. _To my inner voice, _he assured himself.

_Yeah, yeah, right. So now, you made Haku hate you! Ha-ha, stupid!_

Why is his inner voice still there? Dell decided to choose the cleverer choice and ignore that stupid voice.

"Haku … you're with Dell."

Miss Jane's words snapped him out from his reverie – _WHAT? _Oh, great. He had a girl who hated him for a partner. How. Very. Positive.

He glanced at Haku, and the surprised look on her face comforted him a little. _Maybe … she doesn't hate me? _And then she made a face. Dell felt rejected. He sighed, returning his attention to … whatever he was staring at.

So Haku hates him, huh. What kind of girl hates a boy who just called her 'annoying'? Well, Dell could be joking right? But he sounded angry, even to his own ears. The whole household knew about his attitude once his cigarettes were taken away; Haku was plain weird.

* * *

Haku was fuming. She was immensely angry – stupid Miss Jane, pairing her up with Dell. Why can't it be someone else? Nero would be fine, he reminded her of Neru, and it assured her a little. Nero ended up with Neru. Two phone freaks together. What a happy ending. And then it hit her – did Miss Jane know about her and Dell's argument? And then she slapped herself … mentally. How would Miss Jane know about a stupid argument and, why would she care? It was so stupid that Haku wanted to cry. She might as well apologize to Dell, but he was wrong! One, he smoked. Two, he scolded her. That's two wrongs, mind you. And Haku … well, she simply had gone up to the silver-haired boy and chided him about how he shouldn't smoke and … there you go. Haku. Is. Not. Wrong.

Neru poked her shoulder. "Hey … Haku." She hissed. Haku somehow managed to hear her over the noise and her daydream, and she looked over to the blonde.

"Yes?"

"Aren't you angry, or something?" Neru asked, her golden eyes darting to Dell for a moment, before continuing, "You're paired up with someone you hate. Should I tell Miss Jane that you don't like it?" Neru suggested.

"It's okay, Neru." Haku assured her, rubbing her friend's shoulder softly. "I just have to brace myself for the field trip that had just became awful because of a Dell."

Neru looked worried, but that wasn't it. "You sure?"

Haku nodded, smiling. "Yeah, no prob', Neru. Stop worrying. You remind me strongly of a mother."

Neru scoffed. "Whatever." She looked back to her phone, and Haku suppressed a grin. Neru was blushing.

* * *

When Haku woke up and ate breakfast with Neru, she looked upset for some reason. And being typical Neru, she won't tell Haku. So Haku didn't bother it, thinking something happened to Neru's phone and went to school like any normal day.

"Okay, class." Miss Jane called out, clapping her hands. "I'll now tell you where we'll be going, and what we may be doing there." The class fell silent, and everybody looked at their teacher. She smiled warmly at her class.

"We'll be going to the mountains." The class immediately got noisy; some looked disappointed, some excited, some pouty, and some expressionless. Miss Jane smile broadened. "You can discuss later," She shouted over the noise, and the class was quiet again.

"Anyways, there is no need to be disappointed. The mountains are near to a beach, and we'll bring you all for fun and leisure sometimes. But we won't be EXACTLY playing in the mountains. You'll learn how to live in the wild: you all will have to collect water from a nearby waterfall, patrol the area in case there're snakes or some wild animals, clean up the area and so on." Miss Jane grinned as her classmates groaned. "Well, that's all. Go discuss among yourselves, just try to keep it down."

Haku rushed to Neru. "Neru! I'll have to do everything with Dell, now! I hope they won't ask partners to be together in the beach!" Haku sighed sadly. "I hope I can bring root beer there, Haku. You think they'll have root beer?"

Neru giggled. "Look at you, thinking so much of root beer it's sad."

Haku pouted as a response. "It's nice, you know. And you're so addicted to your phone I have to scream into your ear to get your attention."

"You got me, girl." Neru chuckled. "Nice one."

Haku grinned and returned to her seat, watching Neru take out her phone. Haku sighed sadly (again), leaning her head against the back of her chair.

_Life sucks. First there's Dell scolding me as annoying, and next there's this. Having Dell as a camping partner? Way to go in pairing people up, Miss Jane. I'll _so _kill you if I have the chance. And I don't. Screw the idea. _

Haku sighed again. She did like to sigh, and she had to stop that. People would think she had sighing fetish, or something like that. Whatever. Dell sucks. She sucks. Life sucks. Well, her life actually. Everyone seemed to be happy with the pairings whatsoever. Except for this girl. Her life is very miserable indeed. Haku is turning into a pessimist, not like she cared so much anyway. And her life _really _sucks.

_Really, I should start making my catchphrase 'life sucks' with a sigh for effect. I'll be famous for that. Not like I care. _

Haku wishes she could be like Neru, just playing her non-existent phone and not giving a damn about the world around her – at least that's what she thought. Maybe Neru _does _care; she just doesn't want to show it. Or maybe she's forced into caring or something. That must suck. Scratch a phone. Never mind.

_Life sucks. Life really sucks. I hate my life. It's ruined because of Dell. Mainly._

* * *

Dell knew that Haku was thinking of him. Not in _that _way, just thinking of him like how you'd think of a friend. Okay, maybe not a friend, but still thinking of him. The way she threw fleeting glances at him, the way her forehead crinkles slightly when he catches her gaze (which is technically every time), the way she makes a disgusted face every time he catches her stealing glances at him and so on. And the look on her face sells it out completely. She looks disgusted. Who makes the overly emotional, sad, quiet and reserved Haku disgusted to the point of ignoring them?

_Huh. She must be very angry at Miss Jane for pairing her up with me. Look at her face, inner other side of me. If you even exist. I think I'm insane. A few pills would do. Oh wait, I would have to go to a … therapist or something like that. I have a horrible case of personality disorder. Or is it? Ah well. Never mind._

Moving on. So Haku hates him, that's clear. Does he hate her? Dell blinked. _I certainly didn't consider that … before … _Does he? Maybe he doesn't. Yeah sure, he doesn't. Why should he? Sure, she's a little annoying, lecturing him about lung cancer and all of those scientific things, but otherwise she's a dear.

What if Haku hated him because of something else? What if the reason is not about the whole 'you're annoying' business?

After Dell gave it some thought, the idea was stupid. He didn't remember doing _anything _that made Haku angry. In fact, she just laughed along with whatever annoying antics he did, or impersonated it for fun's sake.

_Hey … what if I asked her?_

Now that was an intelligent thought. He would attack her with his question, and she would be shocked into a reply. _Ha-ha, _he thought to himself, _ambitious of me, but what option there is? _Actually, he didn't view Haku as a person who would be so stunned that they would blurt out everything. _She seems so alert every time …_

But it doesn't hurt to try, does it? Dell hopes not.

* * *

Haku walked home alone, sniffing. Neru had stupid club activities, and she, Yowane Haku, has been left alone. _All _alone. Like she said earlier: Life sucks. And it has been proven right at that moment. A week later, she would have to be with Dell, and do technically _everything _with Dell: wash plates with Dell, cook with Dell, on guard duty with Dell, retrieving water with Dell … Just _thinking _about it made Haku's head hurt.

_And doing it … _Haku shivered. _I don't want to think about it now. Save my sanity for later. If I even have any. Life sucks._

Haku turned into a corner, sighing. The corridors were deserted. Haku liked it; no one would look at her by then. Not like they usually do.

Suddenly someone came up and glared into her eyes. Two blood red eyes crashed into each other, and Haku blinked.

"Why do you hate me?"

**So. Basically Haku is a pessimist who likes root beer, sighs sadly A LOT, and thinks that life sucks. And Dell … I don't know about him, seriously. I don't know whether or not he has personality disorder. I don't want him to, though. Dell is such a darling. (Maybe not ah well) The 'inner voice A.K.A other Dell' thing was what I came up on the spur of the moment.**

**Reviews, please!**

**-Hana**


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